Pigs race for glory — and an Oreo — at the rodeo

Three-year-old Jalen Sandoval watches the Swifty Swine Sprints at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. The annual event features three races of four pigs apiece, all vying for the Oreo cookie sitting at the finish line.

Three-year-old Jalen Sandoval watches the Swifty Swine Sprints at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. The annual event features three races of four pigs apiece, all vying for the Oreo cookie sitting at the

Three-year-old Jalen Sandoval watches the Swifty Swine Sprints at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. The annual event features three races of four pigs apiece, all vying for the Oreo cookie sitting at the finish line.

Three-year-old Jalen Sandoval watches the Swifty Swine Sprints at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. The annual event features three races of four pigs apiece, all vying for the Oreo cookie sitting at the

Dozens of rodeo fans braved overcast skies and breezy temperatures Monday afternoon at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo to watch the Swifty Swine Sprints.

The Sprints, a perennial favorite at the rodeo, feature three races of four pigs apiece, racing for glory and the Oreo cookie sitting at the finish line.

Gloria Bell, a kindergarten and elementary teacher at San Antonio's Liberty Christian Academy, showed up almost 20 minutes before the show's 1:30 p.m. start time to grab some prime seats with five of her students in tow.

“We've come every year for I can't remember how long,” Bell said. “The kids love them.”

The races did not disappoint. With the crowd loudly cheering on their favorite pig, the first race was a nail-biter as Brad Pig narrowly edged out Kevin Bacon at the finish line. Lindsay Loham won the second heat despite losing its racing blanket after the second turn. The third race was a college football-themed blowout as the Texas Longhorns led wire to wire.

The spectacle earned the enthusiastic approval of 6-year-old Zack Dorado, one of Bell's students.

“It was fun. It was cool!” said Dorado, who was attending his second Swifty Swine show.

Rachael Block, a second- and third-grade teacher at Liberty Christian who was accompanying Bell, also found something to like in the show.

“It was super adorable,” Block said.

When asked whether she thought she would be able to outrun the fleet-of-foot pigs, Block gave the hoofed speed demons their due.

“Probably not,” she said with a chuckle.

Zach Johnson, owner and “swine master” of Swifty Swine Productions, said the shows always bring out a big crowd.

“Our show is for everybody,” Johnson said. “Everybody, old and young, gets a kick out of it.”

Johnson has been in the pig racing business for 16 years and has brought the race to San Antonio for the last 10 Stock Show & Rodeos.

“I wanted to race NASCAR but I couldn't afford a race car, so I thought, 'What can I afford to race? Pigs,'” Johnson said.

He said he starts racing the pigs when they're just a month old, with retirement following about three months later.

The racing life is nomadic for Swifty Swine's four-footed attractions. The pigs have entertained fairgoers from New York to California and everywhere in between. Next stop for Johnson's show is Houston, followed by Sioux Falls, S.D.

Those concerned that these adorable little racers might end up as a part of somebody's brunch need not fear.

Once a swine's racing days are over, Johnson donates the pig to a local chapter of FFA or 4-H.